Not Interested
In a class yesterday one of my students (A) asked the other (B) if she’s interested in foreigners, and B said she is and she wants to be able to talk to foreigners. A was surprised and looked like she didn’t understand why. B was also surprised at A’s reaction, and I was curious so I asked A if she’s interested in foreigners. A said she isn’t and the reason why she’s taking English conversation lessons is so she can improve her English.
That is a great reason why she takes conversation lessons, and I don’t think you need to be interested in speaking to foreigners in order to learn English; but I think it’s too bad if a student who takes English conversation lessons isn’t interested in using English in order to communicate.
Yes, English is a subject in school and students need a high score in it if they want to get into good universities, but English is basically a language so it should be used to communicate and interact.
In Japan I’ve met a lot of foreigners like me who are living here now, and the things I have learned about them and their countries have taught me so much about the world and life.
There were things I’ve been told that I would never have learned in a formal class, and I would never have communicated with them if we didn’t speak a common language.